15 Louisville Events in June 2024
You know summer has arrived when pools are open, outdoor activities are in full swing, and al fresco dining options are abundant. Whether you're into beer, bites, plays, or parades, June in Louisville offers something for everyone. Here's a roundup of some of our favorite upcoming local events.
June 1 – 30, 2025: NuLu Sites and Bites Walking Tour
Explore the flavors and stories of Louisville's East Market District on the NuLu Sites and Bites Walking Tour, a new offering from Louisville Historic Tours. This three-hour guided experience dives into the area's dynamic food, art, and cultural scene. Enjoy sips and bites from local favorites like Parlour Pizza, Goodwood Brewing, Biscuit Belly, and Muth's Candies, plus a bourbon tasting and local brews. Tours run Friday through Sunday at 11 a.m. Tickets are $129 per person. byfood.com
June 4, 2025: Whiskey Files featuring Owen Martin of Angel's Envy
Sip and learn at Hermitage Farm's next Whiskey Files event. Held in the historic Stud Barn, this evening features Owen Martin, Master Distiller at Angel's Envy, sharing insights during an intimate bourbon tasting and discussion panel. Guests can enjoy curated pours, stories from the distilling world, and time with resident horses. Tickets are $68 and space is limited. exploretock.com
June 6 & 7, 2025: Louisville GreekFest
Experience a taste of the Mediterranean at Louisville's only Greek festival, a lively celebration of food, music, and culture. Enjoy authentic Greek dishes, pastries, and desserts while enjoying live performances. Shop from Greek vendors, explore cultural demonstrations, and soak in the festive spirit. louisvillegreekfest.com
June 7, 2025: St. Matthews' 75th Anniversary
Celebrate 75 years of St. Matthews with a full day of family fun at Brown Park. The festivities kick off with Rise & Shine Yoga at 10 a.m., followed by live music, food trucks, a beer garden, kids' activities, storytelling, and cooking demos. From zip lines to a silent disco, there's something for everyone. The night ends with a dazzling drone show. Admission is free, with food and drinks available for purchase. stmatthewsky.gov
June 7, 2025: 2nd Annual Rollin' on the River Craft Beer Festival
From 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., raise a glass at the Howard Steamboat Museum in Jeffersonville, IN. Enjoy tastings from local, regional, and international breweries, plus live music from Runaway Souls. VIP tickets offer early entry and exclusive perks inside the Carriage House. Proceeds benefit the Howard Steamboat Museum. General admission is $65; VIP is $80. rollinontheriverfest.com
June 7 & 8, 2025: Butchertown Art Fair
Stroll through tree-lined streets and discover handcrafted works at the Butchertown Art Fair on the 800 block of East Washington Street. Featuring over 70 juried artists, this vibrant event also offers live music, food trucks, and local beer, wine, and cocktails. Admission is free, with proceeds supporting local nonprofits and the preservation of Butchertown's historic charm. butchertownlou.org
June 8, 2025: Buy Local Fair
Support local at the Buy Local Fair at Lynn Family Stadium's Fan Zone from noon to 6 p.m. This family-friendly event features a vibrant mix of local businesses, food and drink vendors, artists, and makers. Don't miss the Kidpreneur Market from noon to 3 p.m., and catch the high-energy cooking competition at 2 p.m. between Chef Devon Rosenblatt and Chef Tabitha Criswell. Admission is free, with $10 stadium parking supporting Louisville Independent Business Alliance and the Buy Local movement. keeplouisvilleweird.com
June 9 – 15, 2025: National Bourbon Week in Bardstown
Take a day trip to the Bourbon Capital of the World for exclusive tastings, cocktail classes, culinary events, and more from world-class distilleries. New this year is The Mash Up, a one-night event pairing distillers with local chefs. On June 14, head downtown for National Bourbon Day festivities, complete with family fun, free samples, and live music. nationalbourbonweek.com
June 13, 2025: 9th Annual Dream Maker Awards Gala
Join Amped from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Progress Park Airstream Resort for this ninth-annual soirée. The picnic-style evening honors graduates of Amped's Music Academy and changemakers in tech and entrepreneurship. Enjoy live music, local bites, craft cocktails, a silent auction, and dancing under the stars. Tickets are $150 and include all food and entertainment. my.onecause.com
June 13 – 22, 2025: Gender Play, or what you Will
Honor Pride Month with Gender Play, or what you Will at Actors Theatre of Louisville. Co-created by Will Wilhelm and Erin Murray, this genre-bending production invites audiences to a mystical evening of laughter, tarot, and self-discovery. Performed by Will and directed by Emily Tarquin, the play uncovers the queer brilliance within Shakespeare's works. Tickets start at $12.50. actorstheatre.org
June 14, 2025: Spring Wing Fest
Spice things up at the annual Spring Wing Fest from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Spring Street Bar & Grill. This free, family-friendly outdoor bash features live music, kids' activities, outdoor games, and the return of the crowd-favorite hot wing eating contest. Proceeds benefit local food and beverage workers in need. springstreetbargrill.com
June 21, 2025: Kentuckiana Pride Festival & Parade
Celebrate love, identity, and community at the Kentuckiana Pride Festival & Parade, taking place from noon to 11 p.m. on the Big Four Lawn. Performers include Natasha Bedingfield, Saucy Santana, The Scarlet Opera, Tanner Adell, and Molly Grace, to name a few. General admission starts at $12. You can also keep the party going all weekend long with the Love & Pride '25 Neon Fantasy Drag Brunch and Pool Party the following day. kypride.com
June 21, 2025: Juneteenth Fest
Commemorate the heritage and legacy of African Americans at Kentucky's official Juneteenth event, held from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. Attendees can expect mouthwatering food, soulful live music, and activities for all ages. louisvillejuneteenthfest.com
June 21, 2025: Downs After Dark
Experience Churchill Downs like never before during one of Louisville's favorite summertime traditions. The historic track extends its hours, with gates opening at 5 p.m. and the final race running as late as 11:10 p.m. Enjoy live music, festive fashion, and signature cocktails under the lights. General admission is $24.95. churchilldowns.com
June 28, 2025: Kentucky Craft Bash
Raise a glass at Kentucky Craft Bash on the Brown-Forman Lawn at Waterfront Park. With over 50 breweries and more than 175 craft beers to sample, this is the biggest beer festival in the Bluegrass. Sip everything from tried-and-true favorites to bold experimental brews while mingling with the makers behind them. Whether you're a seasoned beer lover or just beer-curious, this one-day event is your chance to taste what Kentucky is brewing. General admission starts at $55. kycraftbash.com
Have a sizzling summer, Louisville!
**********
For the best of the South — delivered to your inbox daily — subscribe to StyleBlueprint!
About the Author Lennie Omalza
Originally from Hawaii, Lennie Omalza is a Louisville-based freelance writer of over 18 years. Lennie is a yoga-loving foodie who travels as often as she can and enjoys writing about food, homes, and weddings. You can find more of Lennie's work at Eater, Hawaii Home & Remodeling, and The Louisville Courier-Journal.
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Style Blueprint
6 days ago
- Style Blueprint
15 Louisville Events in June 2024
You know summer has arrived when pools are open, outdoor activities are in full swing, and al fresco dining options are abundant. Whether you're into beer, bites, plays, or parades, June in Louisville offers something for everyone. Here's a roundup of some of our favorite upcoming local events. June 1 – 30, 2025: NuLu Sites and Bites Walking Tour Explore the flavors and stories of Louisville's East Market District on the NuLu Sites and Bites Walking Tour, a new offering from Louisville Historic Tours. This three-hour guided experience dives into the area's dynamic food, art, and cultural scene. Enjoy sips and bites from local favorites like Parlour Pizza, Goodwood Brewing, Biscuit Belly, and Muth's Candies, plus a bourbon tasting and local brews. Tours run Friday through Sunday at 11 a.m. Tickets are $129 per person. June 4, 2025: Whiskey Files featuring Owen Martin of Angel's Envy Sip and learn at Hermitage Farm's next Whiskey Files event. Held in the historic Stud Barn, this evening features Owen Martin, Master Distiller at Angel's Envy, sharing insights during an intimate bourbon tasting and discussion panel. Guests can enjoy curated pours, stories from the distilling world, and time with resident horses. Tickets are $68 and space is limited. June 6 & 7, 2025: Louisville GreekFest Experience a taste of the Mediterranean at Louisville's only Greek festival, a lively celebration of food, music, and culture. Enjoy authentic Greek dishes, pastries, and desserts while enjoying live performances. Shop from Greek vendors, explore cultural demonstrations, and soak in the festive spirit. June 7, 2025: St. Matthews' 75th Anniversary Celebrate 75 years of St. Matthews with a full day of family fun at Brown Park. The festivities kick off with Rise & Shine Yoga at 10 a.m., followed by live music, food trucks, a beer garden, kids' activities, storytelling, and cooking demos. From zip lines to a silent disco, there's something for everyone. The night ends with a dazzling drone show. Admission is free, with food and drinks available for purchase. June 7, 2025: 2nd Annual Rollin' on the River Craft Beer Festival From 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., raise a glass at the Howard Steamboat Museum in Jeffersonville, IN. Enjoy tastings from local, regional, and international breweries, plus live music from Runaway Souls. VIP tickets offer early entry and exclusive perks inside the Carriage House. Proceeds benefit the Howard Steamboat Museum. General admission is $65; VIP is $80. June 7 & 8, 2025: Butchertown Art Fair Stroll through tree-lined streets and discover handcrafted works at the Butchertown Art Fair on the 800 block of East Washington Street. Featuring over 70 juried artists, this vibrant event also offers live music, food trucks, and local beer, wine, and cocktails. Admission is free, with proceeds supporting local nonprofits and the preservation of Butchertown's historic charm. June 8, 2025: Buy Local Fair Support local at the Buy Local Fair at Lynn Family Stadium's Fan Zone from noon to 6 p.m. This family-friendly event features a vibrant mix of local businesses, food and drink vendors, artists, and makers. Don't miss the Kidpreneur Market from noon to 3 p.m., and catch the high-energy cooking competition at 2 p.m. between Chef Devon Rosenblatt and Chef Tabitha Criswell. Admission is free, with $10 stadium parking supporting Louisville Independent Business Alliance and the Buy Local movement. June 9 – 15, 2025: National Bourbon Week in Bardstown Take a day trip to the Bourbon Capital of the World for exclusive tastings, cocktail classes, culinary events, and more from world-class distilleries. New this year is The Mash Up, a one-night event pairing distillers with local chefs. On June 14, head downtown for National Bourbon Day festivities, complete with family fun, free samples, and live music. June 13, 2025: 9th Annual Dream Maker Awards Gala Join Amped from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Progress Park Airstream Resort for this ninth-annual soirée. The picnic-style evening honors graduates of Amped's Music Academy and changemakers in tech and entrepreneurship. Enjoy live music, local bites, craft cocktails, a silent auction, and dancing under the stars. Tickets are $150 and include all food and entertainment. June 13 – 22, 2025: Gender Play, or what you Will Honor Pride Month with Gender Play, or what you Will at Actors Theatre of Louisville. Co-created by Will Wilhelm and Erin Murray, this genre-bending production invites audiences to a mystical evening of laughter, tarot, and self-discovery. Performed by Will and directed by Emily Tarquin, the play uncovers the queer brilliance within Shakespeare's works. Tickets start at $12.50. June 14, 2025: Spring Wing Fest Spice things up at the annual Spring Wing Fest from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Spring Street Bar & Grill. This free, family-friendly outdoor bash features live music, kids' activities, outdoor games, and the return of the crowd-favorite hot wing eating contest. Proceeds benefit local food and beverage workers in need. June 21, 2025: Kentuckiana Pride Festival & Parade Celebrate love, identity, and community at the Kentuckiana Pride Festival & Parade, taking place from noon to 11 p.m. on the Big Four Lawn. Performers include Natasha Bedingfield, Saucy Santana, The Scarlet Opera, Tanner Adell, and Molly Grace, to name a few. General admission starts at $12. You can also keep the party going all weekend long with the Love & Pride '25 Neon Fantasy Drag Brunch and Pool Party the following day. June 21, 2025: Juneteenth Fest Commemorate the heritage and legacy of African Americans at Kentucky's official Juneteenth event, held from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. Attendees can expect mouthwatering food, soulful live music, and activities for all ages. June 21, 2025: Downs After Dark Experience Churchill Downs like never before during one of Louisville's favorite summertime traditions. The historic track extends its hours, with gates opening at 5 p.m. and the final race running as late as 11:10 p.m. Enjoy live music, festive fashion, and signature cocktails under the lights. General admission is $24.95. June 28, 2025: Kentucky Craft Bash Raise a glass at Kentucky Craft Bash on the Brown-Forman Lawn at Waterfront Park. With over 50 breweries and more than 175 craft beers to sample, this is the biggest beer festival in the Bluegrass. Sip everything from tried-and-true favorites to bold experimental brews while mingling with the makers behind them. Whether you're a seasoned beer lover or just beer-curious, this one-day event is your chance to taste what Kentucky is brewing. General admission starts at $55. Have a sizzling summer, Louisville! ********** For the best of the South — delivered to your inbox daily — subscribe to StyleBlueprint! About the Author Lennie Omalza Originally from Hawaii, Lennie Omalza is a Louisville-based freelance writer of over 18 years. Lennie is a yoga-loving foodie who travels as often as she can and enjoys writing about food, homes, and weddings. You can find more of Lennie's work at Eater, Hawaii Home & Remodeling, and The Louisville Courier-Journal.
Winnipeg Free Press
22-06-2025
- Winnipeg Free Press
Athens' ancient theater hosts final festival season before closing for three-year restoration
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — For visitors to Athens, the ancient Odeon of Herod Atticus is the must-see theater at the foot of the Acropolis. Artists revere it for the majestic stage where legends have performed. And for the Greek capital's residents it is the touchstone of their summer cultural calendar. The Odeon of Herod Atticus recently opened the 70th season of the annual Athens Epidaurus Festival, a cherished annual tradition for many Greeks. But this edition marks the last before the theater that's more than 18 centuries old shuts down for maintenance and restoration work that is expected to last at least three years. While theater and dance grace its stage, music is its cornerstone. Renowned artists who have performed here include Luciano Pavarotti, Frank Sinatra, Coldplay, and Greece's own Maria Callas. Its closure will be a profound loss for spectators who have long enjoyed first-class performances under the stars in one of the world's most iconic open-air theaters. 'When (people) think of the Athens cultural scene, everyone thinks of the festival and Herodion,' said Katerina Evangelatos, the festival's artistic director since 2019, calling the theater by its commonly used Greek name. 'It has become a synonym of the festival. It is the heart of the festival.' When the Greek National Opera opened this season's festival with Giacomo Puccini's opera Turandot, it erected temporary structures behind the Roman-era odeon's arched walls to expand available space for performers' dressing rooms. The permanent underground facilities weren't enough. The production also needed more space inside the venue to accommodate the scale of the production. To meet the opera's scenic and casting demands, a crew constructed a wooden, balcony-like platform to partially extend over the orchestra pit. This adaption allowed space for the large cast and complex staging, including the emblematic scene in which the emperor, Turandot's elderly father, is ceremonially rolled out in his towering throne to watch suitors attempt to solve his daughter's riddles — at the risk of execution. The scene requires significant simultaneous on-stage presence by multiple performers. 'It's like entering a temple' Giorgos Koumendakis, the Greek National Opera's artistic director, describes the Herod Atticus Odeon as 'a strained, fatigued space' which still commands widespread veneration. 'People who are conscious, cultivated, educated — who understand what this space is, its historical significance, the importance of the festival, and the history of the Greek National Opera — respect it deeply and enter it almost reverently,' said Koumendakis. 'It's like entering a temple — a temple of art — and it truly has an impact. I can see it from the singers and the orchestra, too. When they come here, they genuinely want to give their all.' During previous restoration and conservation projects, the Herod Atticus Odeon had surfaces cleaned, cracks filled with grout and new seating installed. This time, the scope of the work will depend on findings from the studies still underway. Culture Minister Lina Mendoni said that although the venue's closing date is certain, at the end of summer, its reopening is not. 'This will depend on the problems that the studies will reveal,' she said in an interview to Greek radio station Skai last month. 'What is certain is that at least three years will be needed.' A long intermission The closure of the Herod Atticus means the Athens Epidaurus Festival will need to consider alternatives for the next few years. Evangelatos reflected on the festival's 70 years, noting that it began during Greece's turbulent postwar years of political division and economic hardship. 'It's a miracle of survival and artistic legacy,' she said. On the festival's opening night, the backstage area was abuzz with final preparations, with wigs styled, masks adjusted and costumes touched up. Soprano Lise Lindstrom, who starred as Turandot, took in the gravity of the setting. 'It's an absolutely magical atmosphere here. To be able to stand on the stage and look directly up and see the Acropolis is a little bit mind-blowing, I have to admit,' she said. 'And then also to look out and see all the people sitting there and just being so absorbed into the performance. It's very, very powerful and magical.' All eyes were on Lindstrom as she took center stage beneath the stars — marking the start of a final season before a long intermission.
Winnipeg Free Press
18-06-2025
- Winnipeg Free Press
From the Greek mountains to Manhattan: folk music icon Petroloukas Chalkias honored after death
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece is honoring the late clarinetist Petroloukas Chalkias, whose hypnotic, note-bending performances over the course of more than 70 years made him a hero of mountain folk music. Chalkias, who died at 90 over the weekend, lay in state Wednesday at the Athens Cathedral — a rare honor typically reserved for prime ministers and religious leaders. As pallbearers emerged through the doors in a chapel next to the cathedral, carrying the coffin, silence descended. Mourners then clapped and shouted 'immortal' as musicians played folk tunes. It was a solemn prelude to his funeral which will take place in the rugged highlands of Epirus, in northwest Greece, where he first took up the clarinet as a boy of 11. Greek President Constantine Tassoulas earlier this week described Chalkias as a 'legendary figure.' Epirus' folk music, slowly unfolding and often centered around the clarinet, is steeped in improvisation, with its wanderings inviting comparisons to rural blues and jazz. It's one of the reasons that, while not so distinguished as a recording artist, Chalkias' live performances made him a household name for Greeks young and old alike. His style evolved after settling in New York as a young man, joining a wave of musicians who emigrated along with other Greeks to escape the hardship of postwar poverty. Chalkias found an unlikely second stage: dimly-lit clubs filled with Greek emigres and curious outsiders. Among those drawn to his performances were jazz legends Benny Goodman and Louis Armstrong. Musicians paying their respects on Wednesday praised Chalkias for his generosity with his time in helping fellow artists. 'I was a young woman when I started out and I was incredibly lucky to have him support me,' folk singer Giota Griva said. 'His influence was immense. He was an artist who will never leave us.' Born Petros Loukas Chalkias, the musician was the son and grandson of clarinet players. He was raised with the region's rich tradition of live music — an essential part of village festivals, celebrations, and mourning rituals. Discouraged at first by a family wary of the musician's path, the young Chalkias fashioned his own makeshift clarinet from a hollow reed, carving its finger holes. By his early teens, his playing — raw and instinctive, but undeniably gifted — was good enough to earn him a spot on national radio. Weekly A weekly look at what's happening in Winnipeg's arts and entertainment scene. Chalkias spent nearly 20 years in the US and raised a family there, but said he always intended to return to Greece. He did so in 1979, performing live across the country and reconnecting with Delvinaki, the red-roofed mountain village of his birth near Greece's border with Albania. Delvinaki bore deep scars from the devastations of World War II and the civil war that followed. Chalkias, like many of his generation, grew up with interrupted schooling and little formal training. His music was learned by ear and memory, and never performed using sheet music. 'In the hearts of all Greeks, he stands as the foremost ambassador of our folk song tradition,' President Tassoulas, also from Epirus, said in a statement. 'Though Petros Loukas Chalkias has departed this life, his voice has not fallen silent –- nor will it ever.' Chalkias died in Athens. His family did not announce the cause of his death. His funeral will be held at the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary in Delvinaki on Thursday. He is survived by a son and a daughter.
